July 20, 2012 – COLORADO– A masked gunman shot dead 12 people and wounded 30 to 40 others at a showing of new Batman movie “The Dark Knight Rises” at a movie theater in the U.S. city of Denver, local radio station KOA reported on Friday, citing witnesses. The radio station said a figure in a gas mask had opened fire at the late-night showing in a mall in the suburb of Aurora and set off a smoke or tear gas bomb. It said initial police estimates were of 30-40 injured. Dozens of police were at the scene, CNN footage showed. KOA said authorities were evacuating the area while they checked if there was an exploding device there. CNN quoted one witness as saying he saw a “guy slowly making his way up the stairs and firing, picking random people.” It said local hospitals were alerted to a “mass casualty incident.” –Reuters

Developing story, will be updated as more details come in…. Our prayers and thoughts are with the victims and their families during this very difficult time. -TEP

If several people, or just even one other was armed in that theatre last night during this most horrific crime, I believe that many more people would have been killed. Can you imagine other people shooting wildly at a gunman determined on shooting as many people as he could? In that confused situation, with people who possess no real tactical response training firing back, I think the death & injury toll would have been alot higher than it is. Here in Australia we have extremely tight gun laws – made even tighter after 35 people were shot dead in Tasmania by a crazed gunman – we still have alot of shooting related crimes but nowhere near the amount the US with it’s relaxed firearms laws has.

These shooting sprees are not caused by the guns themselves, because people kill people & if you take the guns away, they will only find other ways to perpetrate these inhuman acts. I truly believe that some people have no soul & are born that way – human monsters – & are therefore capable of commiting such atrocities.

Canada has had gun laws for years….it didn’t stop the criminals from getting them. We spent tons of money on it and we just ended our law that states guns must be registered. Just recently we went through the same incident where someone opened fire in a Toronto shopping center. I’ve been watching it on the news this morning and it’s very sad indeed.

Yes, I think it would happen even more, just in isolated incidents (more one on ones). Perhaps as a result of no cooling off period during simple personal altercations that would otherwise be solved by flashing a finger (if you know what I mean), or by just walking away because the other person is larger than you, and so on.

Unfourtionitly guns don’t kill people.people kill people. If their where a handful of people in there who had a side arm this would not of happened, and if this person tried it anyway it would have been cut short.
This is so terrible…. Maranatha
Bless you all

While I am in favor of an armed citizenry, I do not think it would have stopped this case. He was armored head to toe, in a dark and crowded room, and had a gas canister. The only way this could have been prevented was well ahead of time, when his mind and heart first started to go wrong. In too many cases, by the time friends and family realize something is wrong, these individuals have convinced themselves they are just fine and don’t WANT help.

I am at a loss for what to do, other than prayer, and offering love to all I meet.

During the tribal wars on in the southern part of Africa, quite a bit of damage was inflicted very quickly with machetes wielded in passenger train cars, and other venues of captured (figuratively) victim populations. Gases and bombs of various sorts have been used to injure and kill random victims in congested areas as well as targeted victims, including in countries with disarmed populations, such as Japan. If someone’s mind is gone, it’s gone and if they are compelled to do atrocities, they will do atrocities.

There is Evil in this world. But to recognize Evil, you must first know that there is Good. And we all have to choose, over and over. Little things and big things. When you do not choose, when your Spirit or Soul or Consciousness or Self or You are no longer in charge of your actions, then other entities will be.

I agree with Pagan66 that there human seeming bodies with brains that work, but no Spirit, no Soul no true Self. It is like a birth defect, a missing part. These semi-people can sometimes go through life buffeted by their surroundings and blend in, but sometimes these living puppets are taken over by disembodied impulses or sometimes by actual beings or entities or sometimes these living puppets are just there, waiting. Waiting for some sort of guidance which can be for any use, good or evil, it (the living puppets) can even be used by political or military manipulators.
It seems that most wars have found many such living shells to embody and carry out orders and suggestions. There are reasons to fight (such as when predator humans or one of these empty things is attacking) or when an army of them is attacking. The hard thing is to deflect them before.

I’m not so sure that it is out of balance serotonin that makes the soul vacate a body. I suspect it never was there.

According to the news at 06:58am it is a 24 year old caucasian male and 15 dead and 50 hurt in this incident to include a child as young as 6 years of age It seems to have been a preplanned event. Witnesses say he seem to shoot at certain people. It was reported that some attending this premier were dressed for the occasion in character related costumes and so any clothing he might have been wearing such as an bullet proof vest and mask might not have seem out of place to some people. Could be a gang/hate crime type incident……
violence is filling the world……..too much

Great idea, Nick, though TPTB are quickly moving to take away the option. Is it any accident that this horrific incident occurs just 7 days before Obama is set to sign a UN small arms treaty which will, in effect, destroy our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms for personal and community protection?

It has false flag written all over it, in my opinion. It is an anesthetizing shot in the arm to America, which will be used to manipulate emotions of fear and pity, and to distract us while an out-of-control executive attempts to destroy what is left of our capacity to resist evil. They have no regard for suffering and injustice, only for power and control.

So true! Our community has been plagued with burglaries lately, the most recent incident very near our home: when the burglars did not find an open door or window, they shattered the master bedroom window over the husband and wife’s heads! The husband had stirred hearing the noise and seeing light from a flashlight and got his shotgun. The thieves fled when he cocked the shotgun and ordered them to leave.

Criminals do not respect nor abide by laws, and good, innocent people should not suffer for that lack of morality. Gun “control” is a delusion that endangers and stupefies an innocent law-abiding public to the recklessness and maliciousness of deviants who devise wicked plans that a moral public would never dream of nor expect. One well-armed, well-trained, law abiding individual would have stopped or significantly reduced this sick criminal’s ability to take human lives. Responsible gun ownership is not just a right but a serious responsibility!

And how dangerous it is going to a restaurant….in the Toronto shooting it was in a food court and one of the young women that was in the movie and died was in the Toronto food court at the same time as the shooting. How weird is that?

ABSOLUTELY !!! This evil and carnage is the result of Violence in MOVIES….T.V. VIDEO and COMPUTER GAMES all in the name of free speech …. HOW ABOUT THE FREEDOM TO LIVE MORAL LIVES !!! HOW ABOUT EVERYBODY,…. BE RESPONSIBLE AND NOT WATCH ANYTHING, OR DO ANYTHING THAT MORALLY CORRUPTS THE MIND OR SOUL!!!! HOLLYWOOD WOULD RESPOND IN PRODUCING MORE MORALLY UPSTANDING MOVIES !!! IT WOULD BE A WIN….FOR ALL OF US !!! MY HEART AND PRAYERS GOES OUT TO THOSE WHO LOST FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND MAY GOD HEAL AND COMFORT THEM DURING THESE TRYING TIMES !!! ONE OF 12 WHO DIED AT THE THEATER LIVED IN CRYSTAL LAKE,IL. And was in the MILITARY!!! WE LIVE VERY CLOSE TO THIS PAIN…..BUT IT’S THE WHOLE COUNTRY WHO BEARS THE PAIN WHEN ONE PERSON COULD DO SUCH AN ACT OF VIOLENCE !!!!

this was a comment over at huffpo a short while ago — I googled 9gag colorado and see that a youtube video about this was just pulled — not sure if this is legit or not. tend to think not — considering the site’s bad reputation. I would think that if TEP has “eyes” all over its postings and comments, that site would have been monitored 24/7 for “suspicious” content.

“Just came across this on Hot Air: A few weeks ago, a man by﻿ the username of ‘JamesHolmes154′ posted a thread on 9gag saying he was going to ‘shoot up’ a theater. He was clearly distressed and admitted he was suffering from PTSD. He said he was going to walk in and try to take as much lifes as possible. The whole 9gag community egged him on and give him tips on what to wear, etc. They give him tips on sharp-shooting and sent him messages on how to take as much lifes as possible. 9gag is a sick site and needs to be destroyed.”

And what’s this all about? ABC News: “A San Diego woman identifying herself as James Holmes’s mother spoke briefly with ABC News this morning. She had awoken unaware of the news of the shooting and had not been contacted by authorities. She immediately expressed concern that her son may have been involved. “You have the right person,” she said. “I need to call the police,” she added. “I need to fly out to Colorado.”

Isn’t it always the case it seems? Somebody knew or had an idea.
Here in North Carolina an alert was posted for law enforcement on an named individual, a former Marine, a trained sniper allegedly, that had PTSD other mental issues(?)
that threatened to follow a law Enforcement officer home and kill the officer, kill his/her family and take their badge and police cruiser.
PTSD and other metal disorders should not be taken lightly. When found, or learned they should be referred to mental health as soon as possible, even on an emergency referral.
I do…….. This is most terrible,and anyone who enabled or supported the shooter in this matter is as guilty as he is and they too have innocent blood on theIr hands.
Friends, we could see worst in the future, keep praying……..

Mom knew something was up, and because of her response you can just tell that this is not a new behavior (but probably not to this degree), but I’ll bet she knew something could happen eventually (and again, probably not to this degree). I feel so bad for them, as they (his parents/family) will be unfairly judged by the court of society.

Barb, I checked out the JamesHolmes154 thing and found 9gag denies its’ existance. In other words, this is a hoax perpurtrated by senseless idiots like James Holmes who are soul-less animals excercising/abusing their right to free speech. You are right about the eyes on TEP, I too get heated up and fall to raints of rage. We are human and we here have souls (I like to believe so). Trust me, the eyes do understand. Don’t worry, keep being you. If you are anything like the Barbs I know then you are probably a kitten that can become a wildcat when needed.

Now everybody is wondering why James Holmes did what he did? The answer is HERE and the government did it’s job. Unfortunately, business failed at adding 2 and 2 and taking precautions. I dont know if the link will work here but here it is http://info.publicintelligence.net/DHS-FBI-TheaterAttacks.pdf .
HE IS A TERRORIST plan and simple. Unfortunately the soul-less are coming not just from the top and bottom, but now from the middle. Too all reading this, love up on your children more until they push you away again. Don’t forget to giggle when they do 😉

There are crazy bad people and some of them for some reson on other do horrible things. There,s no way to rationalise or try to figure out what or why these unbalanced people do what they do. having knee jerk reaction,s and blaming the weapon wont solve anything. I im ever in that type of situation ill be able to shoot back. I never am unarmed. I put on a handgun the first thing when I arise to meet the day. My wife does the same.I wish all the good folks would conceal carry. If they did the bad folks wouldnt have a advantage. My prayers to the innocent victims & their family,s

The late Heath Ledger who created the demonic joker character in the last ‘dark night’ described his character as a “psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy.”
Make no mistake, Hollywood creates these Frankensteins. It has nothing to do with legal gun ownership. This actually could have turned out much better if someone with a carry permit was at the theater. I wouldn’t seek out demonically themed movies tho. IMHO, it’s spiritually dangerous, physically too, in this case…

remember the pinned the blame on one man at the Port Arthur Massacre years ago…… and that is how The Australian Government got its gun laws passed and amended…… read the NON governmental story here remember they pinned the blame on one man at the Port Arthur Massacre years ago…… http://members.iimetro.com.au/~hubbca/port_arthur.htm

This no doubt is a horrible tragedy, I wonder why nobody tacked him, in most shootings like this…there is a person or persons that stops the shooter. Not to take away from this tragedy, but more innocent people (babies, kids, women & children, and the elderly are killed each day in Syria by Assad’s forces for the past 17 months…yet this will get more attention

To Sam, I just think people in general will panic and run or hide for their safety. I guess a dark theater didn’t help a bit. Do you think your first thought would be to tackle this guy? If I answer honestly, my initial reaction would be to take cover, and after that…who knows unless I were there. In my perfect world I AM tackling that guy….the world where I sit behind a keyboard. And for the ones who DO tackle without a seconds’ thought….God Bless you….you are truely angels on earth!

I’ve been praying all day for these people. I heard about this before I went to work this morning and tried to keep up with the news throughout the day. Evil is running rampant and things will only will only get worse as Satan wants to take full control. Everything is unraveling quickly on this world, from natural disasters, war, and just plain senseless violence. We need to be prepared. Our Lord will be coming soon.

@ Barb and Alvin — I agree not one person tried to help him.. Not one person thought to intervene. This is truly sad. I have my thoughts about some recent news and this just seems to be added to the pot. Colorado has had it’s share of tradgedy. My heart goes out to the Fox News affiliate who had escaped death from another shooting just to be taken by this man. My mind and heart goes out to the victims families. I was stunned this morning as I read the details and my mind assessed recent events.

It’s a tragic situation perpetrated by a lunatic, whose mind was under the control of demonic forces. From Norway to America, this weak-minded generation is extremely troubling, and we have a tsunami of antisocial psychotic behavior (prone to violence) bubbling, like a torrent of magma beneath the surface of society. Unfortunately, we live in a world where people don’t know how to channel their disappointments in life into creative enterprises. That’s the whole point of failure. Greatness is achieved by overcoming adversity. Imagine if all the people, who ever faced failures in the past picked up guns, to express their disappointment and angst with life, what kinda world would we live in now?

That video is great, Alvin. But my favorite thing about your comment is this: “Greatness is achieved by overcoming adversity.” That is a real take-away for me. I’m going to mount it on my office wall. And it sounds like you know this truth from personal experience. Like Irene C. has said, we are a family here, the “TEP family,” and like any healthy family, even if we don’t always agree with one another, there is comfort to be found here, especially in times like these. So thank you for all you have achieved and are achieving on our behalf.

Hi Alvin,
I remember reading a book in the 90’s called “High Risk: Children Without Conscience”. The psychologists who wrote the book predicted that due to the breakdown in families, we were raising a generation of sociopaths. Sadly how true their prediction has proven to be.

No doubt. Consider also how far humans are removed from nature. We don’t see food, unless it’s in a supermarket. Hardly, any children grow up on farms today. Most are urbanites. Consequently, humans are more disconnected from the natural world and more plugged into the urban landscape, with its visceral violence and lurid entertainment. When you nuture how things grow; you’re less apt to kill it. We don’t see Amish children, or Native American children acting this way because they are more rooted to the natural life processes with their agrarian lifestyles and culture.

Israel cannot do anything to this regard without it’s enemy stoking it up as a reason to cite “imperialism” and get the radicals to side with them (Iran). The chemicals are on soviergn land, so Israel would have to call it war. At this moment, they need to focus on other things like Iran nukes and the movement of Palistian radicals (mostly teenagers) stirring up crap.Israel must play it close at the moment, not reach across the the table.

The Brits are chasing and tracing the movements of the chemicals and some of it went to front lines. In essence Syria may use it against it’s own people soon. Believe it or not, Russia is telling them NOT TO DO THIS and China still hasn’t commented and choose to to stay silent on the matter.

Clare, I have read that site before & it’s disgusting to even think that our Government could be responsible for the violent & premeditated deaths of 35 innocent people just to pass gun laws through parliament & remove our rights. Martin Bryant is a deranged lunatic, pure & simple & nothing any badly written, badly researched conspiracy theory site contains will have me believe otherwise. Bryant himself has always maintained that the voices made him do it, that he talked to the “ghosts” & they directed him. I’m not sure if you’ve been to Port Arthur but I have & there is a feeling there, an oppression which was almost tangible to me during my three visits. I believe there may be something spiritually toxic bubbling under the surface there, after all, the site itself, like the state it lies in has a very unquiet past does it not?

This was a tragic but I will never give up my gun’s. How would you defend your self if only crooks and the government had them? I trust the crooks more than our people in Washington. When things really get bad then we will see just how many cops will be around to protect you!

The whole world is unraveling, simultaneously. The domestic violence stories of abuse against women, coming out of Brazil, India, and Muslim countries are horrifying. Hundreds of women are killed weekly by their spouses. The root cause of the problem is sin – in the heart and mind of men. From this, springs the violence, lust, murder, and greed.

Please, wake up and stop politicizing the problems in the world…We need to look for solutions; not boogeymen.

I know you are a GOD follower, but unfortunately there is no solution for this craziness. This was predicted thousand years ago and has to hapen, we just have to be carefull and stay in GODS side. Blessings.

Some refuse to see the world beyound their street, cities or ethinicities. The politicos just love them because they are easy to twist. They never look at both sides of anything, they jerk to the strings pulled by the politicos while thinking if they do what is “popular” they will be safe. So ask all of the Republican families laid off with upside down mortages, did that work? No, and it didn’t work for the Democrats to a larger proportion either. The reality through is big business is mostly Republican. So they are choking the economy to win a election while “inventing” reasons not to invest into expansion while holding government loaned monies in the banks which artifically prop up the banks as “doing OK”. This is greed and not politics because none-republicans see this working and do the same thing citing “Hey, we got to survive too”. Nobody’s right and everybody’s wrong. This is more than politics, this is greed.

We have the solution, it is to unite and expose the greed. But the shadows of anger and hate follows us to that enlightenment, and we refuse to accept that the shadows are our own. So stay in the gray, where the shadows are still there but not so prevalate with power and substance then expose the shadows when they get out of hand. Welcome the change that is indeed coming. This change is more than political, geological, it is about principility and accountability. You are right Alvin.

That’s a valid point. This has nothing to do with gun laws, and anyone that thinks it does…has missed the point. Taking away a gun, doesn’t repair people’s psychosis. This is a an act committed by a mentally unbalanced person, who is a sociopath and exhibits anti-social behavior. He didn’t have time to find a job but found time to order 6,000 rounds of ammunition over the internet. Instead of people worrying about someone taking their guns; what they need to be concerned with is the fact that 1 in 3 people suffer from some form of mental illness, and a good portion of the population is already on Anti-deps. When everything falls apart; it going to be hell and ‘unimaginable pandemonium.’

Alvin, What you wrote about ”a good portion of the population is already on anti-deps….”this scares me alot. It is a Catch-22 situation because people with severe types of mental illness need meds, but then many of these meds cause other symptoms and more problems arise. Then another drug is needed to counteract the old meds, and so on. Many times it takes much trial and error to find the correct dosage for someone. The person can end up more depressed than to begin with! Why do doctors tell a patient to take an anti-anxiety pill such as Xanax, and then tell them they need another pill (Lexipro) to counteract the Xanax’s effects? Because when a person “comes down” from the Xanax, they are twice as anxious and depressed, therefore they now need Lexipro. THIS in itself is INSANITY as far as I’m concerned! Sorry to rant, but it’s occured to a few people close to me…with not so-good results.

My younger brother is mentally ill, extremely so. Recently he poisoned my beloved horse because somehow, in his diseased mind he thought I was being indocrinated into a cult & in his words – wanted to teach me a lesson in reality & humility. For years I denied the severity of his illness, I always backed him up, bailed him out, gave him a safe home when the rest of my family couldnt cope with his behaviour anymore. I know how quickly mentally ill people can snap, how they can change from a seemingly placid & coherent person into an inhuman monster. Because he is my brother my guard was relaxed & I didnt think he would ever hurt me or mine, I was wrong & my horse died because of it.

It has broken my heart having to commit him but it is both necessary & responsible. You are right in what you say Alvin, steps needed to be taken to ensure the safety of other people around him. I would never ever be able to forgive myself if he did the unthinkable whilst in my care.

That breaks my heart, Pagan. My sympathies for your plight and loss. Unfortunate as it is, your intervention will perhaps spare greater tragedies down the road, and shows the overall potency of both your love and compassion. As I have always said, ‘The doctor who is afraid to cut, never heals.’

Alvin, first I wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your website. It is very informative and provides all kinds of interesting information. Second, I’ve been thinking about what’s been causing these outbreaks of hostility from people and sadly enough, I believe it is often the antidepressants that people are placed on that cause the problem. Often, when there is an outbreak of violence, or a person attempts suicide, one ends up finding out that they were using antidepressants. These drugs are known to cause suicidal and homicidal tendencies, not to mention a whole host of other nasty side effects. Unfortunately, people are told that the answer to these problems are of course, more drugs Drugs which all come with their own nasty side effects. Drug companies and doctors alike are constantly pushing the idea that a large part of our population is in need of chemical “help” in order to make money and I just don’t buy it. A large part of our population is falling apart mentally and spiritually because a large part of our population is doped to the gills with extremely dangerous, mind-altering medications. Nowadays, people aren’t taught to cope with normal everyday stress…they are told they are “depressed” or have some kind of ridiculous disorder and are placed on medication that often creates a bigger problem. People are also taught to point their fingers at others for their problems instead of being taught to take personal responsibility for their own happiness and behavior. None of this is healthy, or productive, which I believe is exactly what is wanted by these so-called “mental health experts”, not to mention the drug companies. If people are actually healthy, they lose money. And no one that I have ever known that tried antidepressants showed improvement. They reported feeling strange, zombie-like, and they were having strange dreams. They were frightened and refused to use the medication anymore. They decided to make some life-changes instead and were much happier. I honestly believe that if people go about making positive changes in their lives, turn to God and stay away from drugs, prescription and otherwise…we would see a huge improvement in our society.

Norway has the strictest gun laws in the world……look what happened there. This is the one year anniversary of the massacre, 92 killed there, mostly kids. So maybe strict gun laws are not the answer. I’m on the fence with that one.

I dont understand where is the dificulty understanding that the guns in itself are not the responsible for this murders but the people who use them. OF COURSE gun possesion has be regulated and the regulation has to be tough. The problem is that we went away from GOD laws: whoever sheds inocent blood his blood will be shed. But we humans think the Great GOD was mistaken, now we are harvesting what we sow.

Alvin, I read that article about the submarine fire. That’s just plain crazy, literally.

Years ago, doctors put me on Prozac because I was dealing with “clinical depression”. It didn’t help my depression and I didn’t like it. I took myself off of them. I still deal with unexplained depression, but I use prayer and scripture to cope now. I also warn my husband and allow myself one night to have a good cry. It works much faster and, except for puffy eyes, I feel much better. Shutting off the news and watching a good comedy works wonders too.

To Alvin, I just read your link and I have to say that in all of my life I’ve never seen so many coincidencidental stories that match what I am ranting about with prescription drugs! So many horrific stories are so similar to what I blog about, which tells me that these stories are NOT really coincidental, but rather commonplace in the world today and are occuring at such a high rate lately because these so-called medicines are prescribed like candy with nary a thought to their dangerous effects! Oh yes, for the almighty dollar! I want to run to the highest mountain top in the world and scream out, “What are we doing to our fellow man? No more!” This is not what God intended for us, but he knows this has to come to fruition. I am sobered by these thoughts. Our strength can only come from a natural state….I truely believe this.

I couldn’t believe that someone would create $400 million dollars in damage, just to leave work early. That’s enough money to take care of all the people who have been displaced by the economic downturn in the U.S.

Yes, mental illness is now epidemic and with television, the internet, and video games lobotomizing many more; life could get very ugly, very quickly. Remember the drug soma in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World?

I believe it was Donald Trump who announced for millions to hear “Greed is Good” only for that statement to be place in a book which turned into a movie about Wall Street. Greed of Time is greed of Money. Hence we have created 2 generations of psychopathes both of high and low income. This civilian is an example of the low ones ordained by the cults of Donald Trump. This is more than political, this is about principles.